Maj. Arthur C. Peterson

-10-

April 26, 1945

Crossed the straits to Fusan (Pusan) during an air raid escorted by seaplanes, making a very fast run. We spent the night in a theatre building in Fusan after being fed a good meal. Major Thomas B. Smothers, Jr., died during the crossing to Fusan. Lt. Col. Beecher's group 2 of about 140 moved out shortly after midnight - probably for some destination in Korea. They were told to expect a 12-hour train trip. Amoroso, Kramer, Kriwanick, Gulick, Abston, Cornall, Englehart, and Gard are with this group.

April 27, 1945

Left Fusan about 8:00 a.m. for Mukden -90 men to a coach. Meals good - binto (obento) box lunches.

April 28, 1945

En route. Passing many trainloads of soybeans and corn being sent to port of Fusan.

April 29, 1945 (Emperor's Birthday)

Arrived at Hoten 1:30 a.m. Spent rest of night at RR Station and proceeded to Hoten POW camp the morning of the 29th. We were well received. Saw Major Hankins, Lt. Carl Weeks and many Corregidor men.

May 21, 1945

The Colonels and Generals that had been captured in the Philippines, Malaya, etc., came to Mukden. All except the very senior ones which excluded Generals Wainwright, Moore and King of the American group. Learned that this group had been quite fortunate in its death rate, losing only a very few in Formosa.

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FOOTNOTES

Major Peterson was liberated shortly after this diary ended. He weighed about 85 pounds at that time. When he visited my mother and me (he was married to my mother's sister) at Virginia Beach just after his liberation, he had literally fistfuls of meat rationing coupons -more than we had seen for the whole war! Shortly after that, rationing was discontinued.

After his liberation he was always quite reluctant to speak of his POW days -unless he were with another POW - then the memories might flow.

Gleaned from those conversations came the very poignant memory of the first night of their capture as they were being held in a compound at the Malinta Tunnel. They were wet, cold, discouraged and at the far end of the compound someone started singing "God Bless America" and that song swelled and traveled the length of the compound in a breathtaking display of patriotism.

I also learned that while imprisoned, the POW's were able somehow to gather the makings of a camera and while waiting in line for food, to the count of one-two-three moved into position for a picture while another person moved to snap that picture. As you can read they were fed mostly rice. Pete said that the Japanese would polish the rice and of course, thereby they would lose some of the precious nutrients, so the prisoners made pretty sure that the rice polishing machine was permanently on the fritz!

He was raised to the rank of full Colonel and retained that rank until he retired. He worked for the Army Security Agency in various places and died in 1969 in Frankfurt, Germany.

This diary was used by the (then) War Department to verify the deaths of some individuals listed herein.

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